


The Tale of Cute Library Guy and Obscure Book Boy

by kiyala



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Library, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-24
Updated: 2014-04-24
Packaged: 2018-01-20 15:54:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,847
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1516364
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kiyala/pseuds/kiyala
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Enjolras has a crush on the cute guy who works at the inquiries desk at the library.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Tale of Cute Library Guy and Obscure Book Boy

"Combeferre, you have to help me," Enjolras says as soon as he walks into their apartment.

Combeferre lifts his head from where he's lying on the couch with Courfeyrac, putting his book down. "What's the matter?"

Enjolras holds up the book that he's reading. "I need you to read this book for me and then summarise it enough detail that I can hold a conversation about it."

Courfeyrac sits up. "Are you arguing with people about books you haven't even read? That's new."

"No, that's not what he's doing," Combeferre replies, sitting up as well with a sigh. "Enjolras is flirting."

" _Courting_ ," Enjolras corrects, feeling his cheeks growing warm. "Flirting sounds juvenile."

"What, and asking me to read books for you to talk about doesn't?" Combeferre asks, raising an eyebrow.

"This is entirely different," Enjolras argues. "This book—"

"Hold that thought," Courfeyrac interrupts. " _Flirting_? That's new too."

"Cute Library Guy," Combeferre says by way of explanation and the alarming thing is the fact that Courfeyrac simply nods like that makes perfect sense.

"You told Courfeyrac about Cute Library Guy? No—no, I'm not calling him that. I don't care if I don't know his name. I'm not calling him _Cute Library Guy_."

"I tell Courfeyrac everything," Combeferre replies with a shrug. "You know that. And saying Cute Library Guy is much easier than The Guy That Works At The Library That Enjolras Doesn't Realise He's Stalking."

"I'm not stalking him!" Enjolras immediately grows worried, because what if he is, and he just doesn't realise? What if he's coming off as creepy and Cute Library Guy is just too nice to tell him to back off and—

"Enjolras," Combeferre says. "Enjolras, breathe. I wasn't being serious. None of your behaviour has come across as stalking from what you've told me. It's fine." 

"Cute Library Guy, though?" Enjolras asks, raising an eyebrow. "Really?"

"I think we need to go to the library," Courfeyrac decides.

"Courfeyrac, no. I just came home from here."

"I didn't say you had to come with us," Courfeyrac replies. "I'll wander around the shelves with Combeferre and watch him be cute about books. It'll be just like a bookstore date."

"Except the books can't come home to stay," Combeferre says, "and you know how I feel about that."

"I know, my love, but you know how your wallet feels about your book habit."

"Not to mention your sagging bookshelf," Enjolras speaks up. "…Please don't go to the library without me. I'm not going to get any work done because I'm just going to be thinking about how you'll be there, seeing him while I can't."

"Ooh, you've got it _bad_ ," Courfeyrac says delightedly. 

"We'll make a deal," Combeferre decides, turning to Enjolras. "You read your own damn book and then we can go back to the library tomorrow. I'm curious to see him anyway."

Enjolras looks down at the book in his hands and thinks of Cute Library Guy and the way he'd searched through the shelves for the book before pressing it into Enjolras' hands with a smile and, "You should read this. I think you'd like it."

On second thought, Enjolras decides that he'd rather just read the book himself anyway. For a past few weeks, he's been coming up with the most obscure book requests he can possibly think of, just to have an excuse to go to the inquiries counter. Today, however, he'd walked as far as the counter before Cute Library Guy waved him over and told him that there was a book he wanted to recommend. He didn't even bother looking up the shelf number, happily talking to Enjolras the entire way to the correct section and then as he looked through the shelves.

Enjoras' grip on the book tightens and he smiles. "Yeah, okay. Deal."

:·:

Enjolras goes to the library the next day after class with Combeferre and Courfeyrac. It's mid-afternoon and he's functioning mainly on coffee because he'd stayed up all night reading the book but despite the fact that he's felt bone tired all day, he's immediately in a better mood as he walks closer to the library. Courfeyrac laughs quietly beside him, letting go of Combeferre's hand and hanging back.

"You guys go ahead, I want to take a look at something."

Combeferre makes a confused noise but nods, continuing to walk with Enjolras. They go through the security gates and Enjolras is pleased to see Cute Library Guy there at the inquiries desk, as usual. They smile at each other, nodding in greeting. 

"Do you want me to grab a group study table for us?" Combeferre asks, because they _did_ make plans to study while they were here.

"Yeah," Enjolras says, dragging his gaze away from Cute Library Guy. "Sure, let's sit down."

They take their textbooks and notes out, ready to work. Courfeyrac is still nowhere in sight and Enjolras is just about to comment on this fact when he sees Courfeyrac walking over to their table.

"Hey sweetie," he greets Combeferre with a brief kiss to the lips before sitting down beside him. "Did you miss me?"

"A little, but I'm mostly confused about what you just did?" Combeferre raises an eyebrow, taking Courfeyrac's hand into his own without a second thought.

"I'm guessing that's Cute Library Guy there," Courfeyrac says with a smile. "And when he saw Enjolras walking in, his face completely lit up. Then he saw you talking to him and his face fell. And then, oh man, you should have seen his face when you sat down here together, Enjolras. He looked _devastated_. So I figured I'd make it clear that no, Combeferre isn't _your_ boyfriend and that smile's right back. He's got it just as bad as you do."

"Really?" Enjolras asks, his heart pounding. He glances over at the inquiries desk and catches Cute Library Guy looking in his direction. They smile awkwardly at each other before Enjolras turns back to his friends, hoping that his face hasn't gone entirely red. Courfeyrac's grin doesn't make him feel very optimistic about that.

"You should go talk to him," Combeferre suggests. "Maybe find out his actual name so you can stop calling him Cute Library Guy and getting mad at me for coming up with that name."

"He _is_ cute though," Courfeyrac adds. "He's got a very nice smile. Especially when he's looking at you."

Enjolras barely resists the urge to hide his face in his hands and grin until he explodes. 

"Okay, let me rephrase what Combeferre said," Courfeyrac continues. "You should get up and go talk to him before _I_ get up and tell him that I've heard all about him from you and that you're bad with names so you just call him Cute Library Guy instead—"

"I will kill you."

"No you won't, you love me too much, and you'll upset Combeferre if you do."

Combeferre nods sagely. "He's right on both counts."

Enjolras sighs heavily. "Fine."

He leaves his books at the table and gets up, walking over to the inquiries desk.

"Hey," Cute Library Guy greets with his usual smile, looking up at Enjolras. There aren't any other people around the desk, which means that Enjolras gets all of his attention, at least for now. "You brought friends with you today."

"Yeah, they wanted to come by the library because I wouldn't shut up about—uh. The library."

"The library," Cute Library Guy repeats, a grin slowly spreading across his lips. "Really?"

"Yeah, the library is—uh—very helpful. And interesting. And I like visiting it."

The grin is even wider now. "You really do, don't you?"

"I read the book you recommended to me yesterday," Enjolras says, quickly changing the subject. "You were right, I did enjoy it, but I think I probably need to read it again. I was up all night reading because I couldn't put it down. I'm sure I missed most of it in the haze of sleep deprivation."

"You _do_ look a bit tired today, I was wondering about that," Cute Library Guy says. "I mean. Not to say that you look tired. Well, you do, but it's not bad, I mean—"

"I know what you mean," Enjolras says. "I think. Maybe you can take me out for coffee later. I mean, _fuck_. I mean maybe I can take you out for coffee. We'll take each other out. For coffee. Yes, coffee. Oh, I probably should have had more of that before coming over to talk to you."

Cute Library Guy laughs softly and Enjolras would give a lot for the privilege of hearing that in his life on a regular basis. "That's okay. I'm at work for another two hours and then I'm off… though you'll probably need a coffee in between now and then."

"I'll get one now," Enjolras decides. "And I'll probably be ready for another by the time you're done?"

"Sounds good. And—uh, this is embarrassing but I never caught your name before and we've been talking for a while so I've always felt weird asking… but I just feel ridiculous thinking of you as Obscure Book Boy."

Enjolras laughs at that. "My name is Enjolras. And I've been calling you Cute Library Guy."

"Cute? _Me_? Oh—fuck," he blushes bright red. "I'm Grantaire."

"Grantaire," Enjolras repeats with a smile. "Right, well, I'm going to… get some coffee. And I'll meet you after you're finished with work for more coffee?"

"Sounds good," Grantaire replies, and his smile isn't going anywhere soon either. "Sounds really good. I look forward to the coffee. And you. I mean, your company. Fuck, I'm looking forward to that coffee already."

Enjolras feels like he's walking on air as he returns to his table. Combeferre and Courfeyrac have their arms around each other, having abandoned work in favour of watching the conversation unfold. 

They're too far away to have heard anything, so Enjolras sits down and says, "So I have a date in about two hours. And his name is Grantaire."

"Very nice," Courfeyrac murmurs, clapping him on the shoulder. "So, how much work do you think you'll get done between now and then?"

"Precisely none," Enjolras says because he knows himself, knows he's flustered and that it's going to take a very long time until he's ready to concentrate again. Lucky he's been coming to the library to do his work so regularly lately. He doesn't have any pressing deadlines to worry about. "I'm going to get some strong coffee and then I'll be back, and then I'm probably just going to sit here and grin like an idiot for the next two hours, if that's okay."

"That's totally okay," Combeferre assures him. "Besides, it looks like Grantaire's with you on that whole grinning like an idiot thing."

Enjolras glances over at the desk again and Grantaire is working this time so they don't catch each other's gaze, but his grin is unmistakable. It makes Enjolras' heart flutter and oh, god this is going to be the longest two hours of his life.

He can't wait.


End file.
